Apparatus for distilling hydrocarbons



J. W. COAST, JR.

APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING HYDROCARBONS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT 27. 1917.

1,345,134, Patented June 29,1920.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

JOHN W. COAST, JR., OF TULSA. OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR TO THE PROCESS COMPANY,OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND.

APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING HYDROCARBONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1920.

Application filed September 27, 1917. Serial No. 193,465.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. COAST, J r., a citizen of the United Statesof America, a resident of Tulsa, in the county of Tulsa, State ofOklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatusfor Distilling Hydrocarbons, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a partof this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for distillinghydrocarbons, and more particularly to means for heating the contents ofa still, so as to avoid the injurious effects of coke, or tarry,coke-forming substances.

When high boiling point petroleum hydrocarbons are vaporized and crackedin an ordinary cylindrical still, heavy coke-torn ing substances settleto the bottom of the liquid in the still. If the coke or carbon ispermitted to collect on the still bottom, it will prevent the freetransmission of heat to the oil in the still, and when a suflicientquantity has accumulated the still bottom will become redhot. Someimmediate steps must then be taken to avoid a rupture at the overheatedportion ofthe still. In actual practice the coke accumulates on the hotstill bottom while the oil in the still is maintained at a hightemperature and under a high pressure, thus rendering the crackingoperation quite dangerous.

The main object of this invention is to facilitate the transmission ofheat to the oil undergoing distillation, at the same time preventing theheavy coke-forming substances fronl accumulating on the still bottomwhere the heat is transmitted through the still. In the preferred formof the invention this is accomplished by maintaining a body of heavyliquid on the bottom of the still. floating the oil to be distilled onsaid heavy liquid, and transmitting heat through the heavy liquid to,crack and vaporize the floating liquid. The heavy liquid, preferablymolten metal, interposed between the still bottom and the oil, preventsthe cokeforming substances from reaching the bottom of the still. llypreventing the coke from accumulating on the still bottom. the crackingoperation may be carried out continuously for a considerable period oftime without cleaning the interior of the still.

'Furthermore, the still bottom will not be metal from the lower portionof the still to the interior of the body of floating oil undergoingdistillation, thereby transmitting heat from the hottest part of thestill to various points throughout the body of oil.

The. molten metal, taken from the lower portion of the still, ispreferably distributed in the-body of oil so as to maintain all of theoil at a substantially uniform temperature.

If the heavy metal is permitted to harden in the still at the end of arun, when the still is cooled for the purpose of removing the residue,it would be difficult to thoroughly clean the lower portion of thestill. tual practice has shown that some of the heavy bottom settlingswould accumulate between the hard metal and the still bottom,rendering-it necessary to remove the metal for the purpose of thoroughlycleaning the bottom of the still. To facilitate the cleaning of thestill 1 preferably remove the metalin a molten condition, at the sametime dividing it into small bodies that can be easily replaced in thestill.

Figure I is a diagrammatical view of a cracking apparatus embodying thefeatures of the invention.

Fig. II is a transverse section of the still, gaken approximately on theline II-II,

ig. I.

Fig. III is an enlarged section showing the 3-way valve for controllingthe discharge of the molten metal.

Theapparatus shown to illustrate the invention comprises a largecylindrical cracking still 1, arranged above a heating chamber 2 andconnected, by means of a vapor pipe 3, to an air cooled reflux condenser4.

5 designates a vapor pipe leading from the reflux condenser to a maincondensing coil 6, from which the low boiling point product isrecovered.

The apparatus herein shown 1s p rticularly adapted for use in crackinghigh )oiling by regulating a valve 7 preferably arranged in the vaporpipe 5. The pressure in the still is preferably greater than 50 poundsper square inch, for example about 80 pounds per square inch, and thetemperature of the contents of the still preferably ranges from about600 F. to 800 F.

A body of heavy liquid 8, preferably a readily fusible metal, forexample, molten lead, is maintained in the bottom of the still. The oilto be distilled floats upon the surface of the molten lead 8, and theheavy coke-forming fractions which drop by gravity to the bottom ofthe'oil'also float upon the lead. The molten lead thus prevents thecoke-forming substance from reaching the hot still bottom. The heat istransmitted from the still .bottom,'through the molten lead, to thefloating oil.

The molten lead is preferably circulated by forcing a stream of the leadinto the body of the oil. In the preferred form of the invention anelongated intake pipe 9, arranged in the lower portion of the still, isprovided with inlet ports 10 at various points throughout its length. 11designates a rotary pump connected to the intake pipe 9 and providedwith a discharge pipe 12 leading to a 3-way-valve 13', the latter beingprovided with discharge members 14 and 15. The 3-way valve comprises arotary plug 13 (Fig. III) which may be'adjusted to direct the moltenlead to either of the discharge members 14 or 15. 16 designates a valvestem secured to the plug 13' and extending to the exterior of the still,as shown in Fig. II, said valve stem having an operatin handle 17 foradjusting the valve.

The pump 11, as well as the pipes 9 and 12, are preferably submerged inthe liquid contents of the still. passing through a stufling box 19, atone end of the still, may be rotated to actuate the pump 11. A pinion 20fixed to the inner end of shaft 18 meshes with an operating wheel 21 onthe pump, and said shaft 18 may be rotated by transmitting power to awheel 22 at the exterior of the still.

While the oil is undergoin distillation the-rotar pump 11 is operatecontinually thereby rawinga stream of the molten lead through the intakepipe 9 at the bottom of the still, said stream being forced throu h thepipe 12, valve 13 and discharge mem r15 to the body of oil. 23designates a distributing reservoir, preferably in the form of a trough,open at the top and provided with numerous recesses 24 at its upperedges. This'distributing reservoir is located in the still to receivethe molten lead passing from the discharge member 15. The hot moltenmetal overflows through the many recesses, or outlets 24, at the upperedges of the reservoir 23, and drops by gravity through the oil to'themain body of lead at the bot- A power shaft 18,

tom of the still. It will be observed that the molten lead, taken fromthe hottest part of the still is divided into a multitude of smallstreams and showered through the oil, so as to very efiectively transmitheat to, the large body of oil.

The valve 13 is normally positioned to provide for the discharge ofmolten lead through the 'pipe 15 so as to maintain a shower of themolten metal in the oil. However, it is desirable to remove the lead ina molten condition before cooling the still at the end of a run. Toaccomplish this the 3-way plug 13, forming part of the valve 13, isadjusted to place the discharge member 14 in communication with the pipe12. The rotary pump will then force the molten .lead into a number ofrelatively small molds 25 at the exterior of the still.

The still can then be permitted to cool and the residue may be removedin any suitable manner. The lead will soon harden in the small molds 25and the small bodies of lead can be easily 'taken from the molds andreplaced in the still.

I claim:

1. In a distilling apparatus, a fire heated still having its bottomexposed directly to the fire, a liquid body of heavy fusible materialcontained in the still between the fire heated bottom and the bodv ofoil undergoing distillation, the body of oil being floated on the liquidbody of heavy fusible material, the vaporizing heat being transmittedfrom the fire, through'the still bottom and thence through the body ofheavyfusible material to the body of oil floating thereon, and means forcirculating said heavy fusible material into the body of oil and back tothe main body of fusible material on the fire heated bottom, said meanscomprisin a distributing reservoir arranged in the sti 1 above the bodyof heavy fusible material, said reservoir having outlets for thedischarge of streams of the fusible material into the oil, and means forforcing a stream of the fusible material from the lower por- .tion ofthe still to said distributing reservoir.

2. In an apparatus for cracking hydrocarbons, a still for the oil to bevaporized, said still being providedwith a body of fusible metal on itsbottom wall, a heating chamber below said bottom wall, and means forcirculating said fusible metal into the .oil and back to the main bodyof metal, said means comprising a pump arranged in the still, an intakeconductor whereby fusible metal is conducted to the pump and a dischargemember, for the discharge of the metal from the pump to the body of oilin the still.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto aflix my signature.

JOHN W. COAST, J n.

